Unlike many casually tossed-around words in the industry, ‘luxury’ has somehow remained sacred through it all. It continues to mean motorcycles that turn heads, come from premium brands, and promise pizazz on all fronts. They also cost serious money, and if you’re in the market for one, you inevitably sign up to pay at least $25,000.
Luckily, though, luxury has started becoming more accessible each year. This is particularly true for the cruiser segment, which now sees many new players with competitive MSRPs. BMW, Harley-Davidson, Indian–most industry leaders have such a player in their lineup that walks the line of luxury, affordability, and comfort. One bike that stands out among these and that’s the one we’re talking about below.
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The Indian Super Scout Is The Luxury Cruiser That Nails The Sweet Spot Between Affordability And Comfort
Price: $16,999
As mentioned, luxury doesn’t come cheap. So “affordability” is a relative term here. With that in mind, our pick here is the Indian Super Scout. Why? Because it promises a certain level of luxury we’re used to seeing on full-sized cruisers, while undercutting its rivals by a hefty amount. Comfort is aplenty, too, as you get two large saddles, removable saddlebags, a quick-release windscreen, and properly forward-set footpegs. Topping things is a hefty dose of features. All this while, the MSRP stands at $16,999. This makes it around $1,500 cheaper than the BMW R 18 Classic.
Speaking of which, the updated R 18 Classic is our second-best pick. That’s thanks to its larger-than-life approach, be it in terms of the engine capacity (over 1,800cc) or the overall dimensions. At the same time, you get saddlebags, two-up leather seats, a windshield, and heaps of chrome. Features are aplenty, as well, although an optional pack is highly recommended. That’ll bump the price to over $19,000.
As for Harley-Davidson, the Low Rider S and Heritage Classic both come close to offering a good blend of affordability and comfort. This is largely thanks to the recent price cut. But the Low Rider S misses out on a pillion seat, windscreen, and forward-set pegs. It also focuses more on sportiness rather than overall comfort.
As for the Heritage Classic, its $19,999 MSRP seems brilliant, but there are some caveats. For instance, the base version doesn’t get a pillion seat or windshield. To add these, you’ll need to throw in $2,000 more. Spoke wheels cost a further $850. So you’re looking at a $23,000 hole in your pocket. It gets worse if you pick any other color other than the Billiard Gray for either Harley. One of the premium finishes can cost over $1,000 extra!
The Indian Super Scout Features A Liquid-Cooled V-Twin Engine
The Super Scout belongs to the mid-capacity range in Indian’s well-spread cruiser lineup. So you get the bikemaker’s new SpeedPlus 1,250cc V-twin engine rather than one of the large-capacity air-cooled Thunderstroke engines. This enables an output of 105 horsepower and 82 pound-feet, where the latter comes in at 6,300 RPM. All the power reaches the wheel via a six-speed transmission driven by a belt. So while the performance curve isn’t traditional, the final drive surely meets the brief.
The Scout Slots Well Amongst Its Rivals
How does the Scout slot among its rivals, you ask? Well, it’s more powerful than the BMW R 18 Classic and the Harley-Davidson Heritage Classic. At the same time, it is also considerably lighter, meaning an unbeatable power-to-weight ratio. However, both its rivals have considerably more torque available considerably lower in the RPM range.
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An Uber-Low Seat Height Makes The Super Scout Easy To Live With
Indian wanted the Super Scout to be easy to live with, regardless of your build. It’s evident from the dimensions, particularly from the uber-low seat height of 25.7 inches. That does come at the cost of ground clearance (4.4 inches), though. Elsewhere, the Scout weighs 589 pounds fully fueled—again quite low for a cruiser with touring bits bolted on.
A Simple Suspension And Dual-Cradle Chassis Round Things Off
As for the suspension, you get 41 mm telescopic forks and dual rear shock absorbers. Only the rear has adjustability, in typical American cruiser fashion. These clamp onto a double-cradle steel chassis. At the same time, the Scout rolls on 16-inch spoke wheels as standard. These wear Pirelli MT60RS tires while housing 298 mm rotors at each end.
The Super Scout Spoils You With Likable Modern Features
We rarely see American bikemakers infuse a healthy dose of tech in their budget-centric cruisers. And the Super Scout is one such rarity. It has all the basics covered, be it safety aids or creature comforts. You also get a smartphone connectivity-enabled TFT instrument cluster. Then, there is the extensive accessory package, which includes niceties like a quarter fairing, speakers, backrests, floorboards, and auxiliary lights, among others. Finally, you can have the Super Scout in three colors: Ghost White Metallic, Nara Bronze Metallic, and Sunset Red Metallic.
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Indian Super Scout Key Features
- Dual-channel ABS
- Ride modes
- Traction control
- TFT instrument cluster
- Smartphone connectivity
- Leather saddlebags
- Windscreen
- USB port
- Keyless ignition
- LED lights